Building Local Economies with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi and Danny Knee
Danny Knee interviews Pima County's Director of Economic Development for the latest episode of Let's Talk Small Biz Finance
In this episode of the Let’s Talk Small Biz Finance Podcast, Danny Knee chats with Heath Vescovi-Chiordi about how regional economic strategies foster community growth, support small businesses, and adapt to global shifts. They explore the tools, policies, and innovative projects driving economic resilience and community benefit in Tucson and beyond.
Heath Vescovi-Chiordi is the Director of Economic Development for Pima County. His work focuses on economic development and workforce development with a priority on sustainable and diverse growth. The goal is to increase the county’s viability for business attraction, retention and expansion. He is U of A graduate with a master’s degree in public administration. He’s won numerous awards and accolades including being named one of Tucson’s 40-under- 40, the Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Award for Emerging Leader 2021, being named one of Biz Tucson’s Next Gen leaders in 2022, and the Economic Developer of the Year by the Arizona Association for Economic Development in 2024.
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Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction to Heath Vescovici and his role in Pima County
02:05 – Heath’s early career, awards, and personal anecdotes
03:11 – Defining economic development: traditional vs community-based models
04:26 – Balancing community values and economic growth in regional strategies
05:29 – Measuring success: KPIs, public engagement, perception, and future planning
07:24 – Focus on small business retention and expansion efforts in the region
08:49 – Partnering with community organizations and providing access to resources
09:45 – Impact of national and global economic shifts, including tariffs and conflict
11:43 – The interconnected nature of small and large businesses in economic health
12:32 – Personal preference game: Teacher vs. Economic Developer, and pop culture debates
14:00 – Spotlight on overlooked resources: local lenders, community colleges, and regional IDAs
17:13 – Current initiatives in the “lab”: grants, workforce training, aerospace, and tech startup development
21:19 – Building a regional economic brand and international outreach projects
22:21 – Heath’s go-to Sonoran hot dog spot and closing remarks